Billiard-cushion.



s l n N0. 687,641. Patented NDV. 26, |901.-

. s; MAY. BILLIABD CUSHION.

(Application-filed May 27, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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SAMUEL MAY, OE TORONTO, CANADA.

BILLIARD-CUSHION.

SBECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,641, dated November 26, 1901.

Application iiied May 27, 1901. Serial No. 62,135. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MAY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Toronto, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Billiard-Cushion, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The Object of the invention is to provide a new and improved billiard-cushion arranged to insure proper repelling of the balls by the use of two or more graduated springs, so that the force of the ball when the latter presses the cushion immediately reaches the steel springs and through them receives repelling power from near the center of the rubber cushion to prevent loss of speed in the ball and also to prevent the latter from hopping or jumping from the table and at the same time insure deiiection of the ball at an angle equal to the angle of incidence.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure l is a cross-section of the improvement as applied, and Fig. 2 is a perspective View ofthe rubber-lined cloth with part of the cloth shown detached from the rubber.

The rail A of the billiard-cushion is formed with the usual seat for an elastic rubber cushion B, in which are embedded throughout its length the resilient ribbons or bands C C' O2, preferably made in the form of steel bands placedone behind the other and arranged parallel'to the inner or playing side of the cushion. The ribbons are graduated in thickness and width7 and the ribbon Ck, close to the innerside of the billiard-cushion, is made widest, the succeeding ribbons diminishing in Width, as indicated in Fig. l. The upper edge of the ribbon C reaches close to the top of the rubber cushion B, while the upper portion of the next adjacent ribbon C' is below the upper part of the ribbon C and lies about the middle of the cushion B, so that when the ball strikes the rubber cushion and iiexes the latter outward then the ribbon C is bent in a like direction and presses against the next ribbon C', so that the main repelling power of the ball comes from the ribbon C'that is, from near the middle portion of the rubber cushion B-and hence is more edective to deiiect the ball atan angle equal to the angle of incidence, thereby rendering the cushion extremely sensitive and preventing hopping or jumping of the ball from the table.

There is a great difference in the size and weight of the balls used on billiard-tables. For instance, on a six-by-twelve table balls as small as two and One-sixteenth inches diameter and four and one-half ounces weight are used. On pool-tables the balls are generally two and one-fourth inches in diameter and six ounces in weight, while on carom-tables the balls range from two and three-eighths inches to two and .one-half inches in diameter and seven and one-fourth to eight and one-half ounces weight. From this it is evident that a cushion made strong enough to carry balls of eight and one-half ounces weight would be altogether too stili for a ball of four and onehalf ounces weight, and hence it is very desirable to permit of constructing a cushion graduated as to its elasticity or repelling power according to the intended use, and this result is readily obtained by the use of the graduated springs above described.

In order to render the repelling power of the cushion still more eiiective, I provide the rail-cloth D with an inner pure-rubber lining D', so that the lining clings or adheres more firmly to the rubber of the cushion B, and thereby causes the cloth to coact more positively with theresiliency of the rubber cushion B when struck by the ball to prevent slipping of the cloth on the cushion, thereby dirninishing its speed, as is so frequently the case with the ordinary cloth now used on the rails. By the arrangement described the propelling power of the cushion is greatly increased and the loss of speed through this slippage is eliminated. By having the rubber lining on the cloth D it is evident that dust, chalk, and other fine particles are prevented from settling between the rail and its cloth covering, so that the eiiciency of the cushion is not impaired on that account.

renders the cloth more durable, and as the The rubber lining` IOO Iirmly-adheriug cloth acts in unison with the cushion-repelling spring-ribbons it is'evident that an exceedingly-active billiard-cushion is produced.

I am aware that it is not new to use a metallic ribbon embedded in the rubber cushion, as such arrangement is shown-in my Patent No. 283,129, dated August lit, 1883, and

I am also aware that it is not new to use a plurality of springs to give a cushioning` eect, as indicated in the patent to Joseph Rivoire, No. 317,017, granted on May 5, 1885.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A billiard-cushiou, comprising a rail, a-

rubber cushion set therein, a plurality of elasticgraduated ribbons embedded in the rubber cushion, and a cover of cloth having a rubber lining adhering to the face of said rubber cushion, as set forth.

2. A billiard-cushion, comprisinga spring, a rubber bodyinelosing said spring, and a detachable covering of duplex texture, composed of a sheet ot' rubber and a sheet of cloth, vulcanized together, said'covering being separate from said massive rubber body but held in immediate contact therewith.

3. A Ybilliard-cushion, comprising a rubber body covered with aseparate fabric, said fabric consisting of a thin sheet ot rubber and a thin sheet of cloth vulcanized together and placed upon said 'rubber body so as to present an internal face of sheet-rubber detached from said rubber body, but held in immediate contact with the external face of the same. y

4. A billiardcushion, comprising a spring,

La resilient rubber body-inclosing said spring 

